Editor's Note: "Light of the World: A Nativity Pageant illuminating the Advent Wreath" is an original work written and copyrighted in 2012 by this author for her Sunday School program. Please feel free to use the script for performance purposes. Just do not publish it without written permission! Greetings from the Sunday School director: Christmas is coming! In Sunday School, we’re preparing our hearts the coming of God’s Son – as a baby who came to grow, teach and save; and as a king who came to rule and reign. God called his Son, Jesus, to bring light into the world, to shine in the darkness, to open our hearts, and teach us heaven’s ways. We call the four weeks before Christmas, “Advent” which means “coming.” Christ is coming – as The Light of the World. Our Sunday Schoolers have prepared a special program for you, but we’ll need your help singing! Please take out the insert from your bulletin to follow along. Let’s start now by singing verse #1 of Christ Be Our Light. (Narrator enters as congregation sings:) #1 Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth, we turn to you. Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see. Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts, shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today. Narrator: Darkness is the absence of light. Thousands of years ago, God’s people lived in darkness. They waited and prayed for a Savior to come and rescue them. We remember those dark times each year during Advent. We also remember God’s promise to send a Light into the World. To prepare our hearts for the coming of God’s Son, we use an Advent wreath. The circle shape has no beginning or end. It symbolizes God’s unending love. The evergreen branches remind us of the everlasting life Jesus won for us by his death and resurrection. The candles remind us of the coming light. Each week, as one more candle is lit, the wreath’s brightness grows. When all four candles glow, Christmas is very near. Please join in singing verse 2 of “Christ be Our Light” as we wait for Jesus in The Light of Hope. (Turn on the Hope Light. Prophet processes as congregation sings:) #2 Longing for peace, our world is troubled. Longing for hope, many despair. Your word alone has power to save us. Make us your living word. Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts, shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today. Narrator: The Light of Hope. Isaiah: I am the prophet, Isaiah. God sent me to bring this message of hope to the people. “Look! A virgin will give birth to a son. She will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ Then, the people who walk in darkness will see a great light – a light that will shine for all. Please join in singing vs.#3 of Christ Be Our Light as we wait for Jesus and light the candle of love. (Turn on the Love Light as Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus process/arrive as congregation sings:) #3 Many the gifts, many the people, many the hearts that yearn to be loved. Let us be servants to one another, signs of your kingdom come. Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts, shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today. Narrator: The Light of Love Mary: I am Mary – the Lord’s servant. His Angel Gabriel came to me with news that I would bear God’s Son. At first I was afraid, but then the angel assured me of God’s mighty and loving plan. I said: “Let everything that you’ve said about me come true.” Joseph: I am Joseph. I too came to trust in God’s mighty and loving plan. God’s angel came to me with saying: “Don’t be afraid. Take Mary as your wife. The child within her comes from the Lord. You are to name him “Jesus” which means “The Lord saves,” for he will save his people from their sins.” I took Mary as my wife and together we traveled to Bethlehem. There she gave birth and laid the babe in a manger because there was no room for us at the inn. Please join us in singing “Away in a Manger” as we sing of God’s love and light the Candle of Joy. (Turn on the Joy Light as Angels and Shepherds process and congregations sings:) Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head; the stars in the sky looked down where he lay, the Little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. I love you Lord Jesus, look down from the sky and stay by my cradle till morning is high. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay, close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in your tender care and fit us for heaven to live with you there. Narrator: The Light of Joy Shepherd 1: I remember that night my shepherd friends and I were watching over our flocks in the fields outside the city. A bright light filled the sky. Angels appeared before us. We were terrified! The angels said: Angel 1: Don’t be afraid! I bring Good News of great JOY for all people! This night in Bethlehem a Savior is born. Angel 2: He is the Messiah, the Lord. You will find him lying in a manger. Angel 3: Glory to God! Angel 4: Glory to God! Angel 5: Glory to God in the hight Heaven! Angel 6: And peace to all on earth! Shepherd 2: Let’s go to Bethlehem! Shepherd 3: Let’s see this wonderful thing the Lord has done. Narrator: Please join us by joyfully singing “Angels, from the Realms of Glory” as we light the candle of peace. (Turn on the Peace Light as Wisemen and Star process on verse #3 and congregation sings:) Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth; once you told creation’s story, now proclaim Messiah’s birth; Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King. Shepherds, in the fields abiding watching o’er your flocks by night, God with us is now residing, yonder shines the infant light. Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn king. Wisemen, leave your contemplations, brighter visions beam afar; seek the great desire of nations, you have seen his natal star. Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn king. Narrator: The Light of Peace Wiseman #1: We are wise men from the East. When we saw his star rise, we followed it to Bethlehem. There, we found the child with his mother. We were filled with joy! Wiseman #2: We bowed down offering him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh – Gifts for a king. Wiseman #3: For God’s Son is born unto us. His royal titles will be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His kingdom will never end. His light will shine forever. Narrator: Please join us in singing “This Little Light of Mine” as we welcome the Light of Christ. (The Grown Jesus enters carrying the Christ candle as the congregation sings:) This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine. Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine. Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Jesus gave me the light. I’m gonna let it shine. Jesus gave me the light. I’m gonna let it shine. Jesus gave me the light. I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. ***Pause for a group photo*** Narrator: Jesus is the Light of Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. He is the Light of the World. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not die but have eternal life.” The wait is over. Open your heart. Receive him, so you too may shine, reflecting The Light of the World. Please join us in our ending song “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” as the cast offers gifts. (The cast administers candy canes to the congregation and recesses while the congregation sings:) Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king. Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.” Joyful all you nations rise; join the triumph of the skies; with angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king!” Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of the virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see! Hail, the incarnate deity! Pleased as man with us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel! Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king!” Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteous! Light and life to all he brings, ris’n with healing in his wings. Mild he lay his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise each child of earth, born to give us second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king!”